thetimes.co.uk/Patients on statins are told to exercise more

SHAFAQNA – People taking statins should exercise more to cut their risk of developing diabetes, according to a new study.The research, part-funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF), found that statins could cause small increases in weight and blood sugar, raising the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.Researchers from University College London and the University of Glasgow analysed nearly 130,000 patient records and found that those taking the drugs gained about half a pound in weight over four years and had a 12 per cent increase in the risk of developing the disease.Naveed Sattar, a professor of metabolic medicine at the University of Glasgow, said: “Many patients eligible for statin treatment would also benefit from lifestyle changes, including increased physical activity, eating more healthily and stopping smoking.”Guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, which take the known risk of patients developing diabetes into account, suggest that statin treatment should be offered to people with a 10 per cent or higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease in the next ten years.Professor Jeremy Pearson, associate medical director at the BHF, said that the study should “reassure people that the benefits of taking statins far outweigh the small effect on diabetes risk”.He added: “The results also reinforce that, alongside prescribed medication, taking steps to maintain a healthy weight is essential to stay heart healthy.”Professor Colin Baigent, deputy director at the clinical trial service unit and epidemiological studies unit, University of Oxford, said: “Statins have previously been shown to cause a small increase in the risk of developing diabetes. This research does not change our assessment of the safety of statins.”